About NETZ and its partners

NETZ is a non-profit organisation registered in Germany and Bangladesh. For more than 25 years NETZ has promoted self-help approaches in the fields of livelihood improvement, primary education and human rights. Within its livelihood programme NETZ has focused on the poorest 20% of the population in Bangladesh. The organization has developed a successful empowerment model, which focuses on an explicit bottom- up, self- help approach for people living in hard to reach areas of Bangladesh and India. Aiming to improve the income, food security, resilience and human rights situation of the poorest households, NETZ closely collaborates with local partners, who are based at the project areas and have a profound, longstanding expertise on the specific situations of the extremely poor families.

As a result of our work, 20.000 people per year on average succeed to overcome extreme poverty. A special focus is on women, indigenous groups and religious minorities, who suffer from various discriminations. The livelihood programme is financed by the European Union, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the UK-based department for International Development (DFID) as well as private donors. NETZ implements its activities in close collaboration with the following partners:

JCF (Jagorani Chakra Foundation) has longstanding experience in working with ultra-poor households in south- and north- west of Bangladesh. Since 1998 the organisation fosters social and economic empowerment with a special focus on women. JCF has vast experience in the implementation of credit programmes, primary education projects as well as community and agricultural development projects. (www.jcf-bd.org)

MJSKS (Mahideb Jubo Samaj Kallayan Samity) is a local organisation based in Kurigram district, one of the most vulnerable char areas of Bangladesh. Since 1972 MJSKS has been working with extremely poor people. The organization aims at improving food security through income generating measures in the agricultural sector. Further emphasis is on advocacy work and disaster relief. (www.mjsks.org)

SUS (Sabalamby Unnayan Samity) practices a model for self-employment generation by promoting a sustainable agriculture based technology transfer coupled with a revolving capital fund and an insurance system for beneficiaries. Since 1994 SUS has been promoting agricultural development in the rural area of the Netrakona and Mymensingh district. In addition, the organization focuses on human rights and primary education. (www.sabalamby.blogspot.de)

ASHRAI has vast experience in implementing development programmes for indigenous groups (Adivasi) and extreme poor non- Adivasi people since 1991. The main working area is the Barind Tract in north- west of Bangladesh, where more than one million Adivasis live. Ashrai fights against discrimination towards them and aims at their inclusion in society. Projects focus on education, advocacy and income generation/empowerment. (www.ashraibd.org)

Polli Sree has focused on poverty reduction and social empowerment of ultra- poor people in Dinajpur and Dhaka since 1987. A special emphasis is on vulnerable and female- headed households.

SACHETAN supports socio- economic development of landless people affected by extreme poverty and discrimination with the aim to empower indigenous groups and realize social justice.

TSRD (Tagore Society for Rural Development) has been working with disadvantaged groups (Scheduled caste Hindus, Adivasis, minority Muslims) in the remotest parts of north- east India for more than 4 decades. Emphasis is put on income generation, the empowerment of women, education and disaster relief. (www.tsrd.org)

DRCSC (Development Research Communication and Services Centre (DRCSC) is working in rural north- east India since 1982 in order to improve food and livelihood security of extremely poor people. Projects of the organization focus on the sustainable usage of natural resources by employing eco-friendly agricultural technologies. (www.drcsc.org)

Information

This website has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of NETZ and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.